This invention relates generally to formed and forming of faced, marine or other transportation, heat resistant insulation; and more particularly to a lightweight, sturdy, protective and insulative board product.
There is need for lightweight board-like products as referred to, and particularly in marine environments, as for example on ships. Prior glass fiber board products were objectionable due to production of itching or irritation of users, and to their intrinsic weight, which requires a mode costly installation. There is need for glass fiber content protective facing board products that will not produce objectionable itching, and for products having the highly advantageous features of construction, functions and results provided by the methods disclosed herein.
It is a major object to provide an improved board product with glass fiber content, that meets the above need and overcomes prior problems. Basically, the board product of the invention is a lightweight, insulative, composite sheet consisting essentially of, or combining,
a) homogenized glass fiber and binder materials forming a first layer,
b) binder material extending in a second layer on a surface of the first layer and bonded thereto,
c) woven glass fiber facing cloth extending in a third layer on a surface of the second layer and bonded thereto so that the second layer is sandwiched between the first and third layers,
d) the binder material being cured to integrate the product.
As will be seen, the first layer is provided to have a wool-like composition; and the second layer binder resin typically has a sprayed-on, and cured in situ, configuration on the surface of the wool-like first layer. Also, the first layer typically and preferably consists of about 80% by weight of glass fibers, and about 20% by weight of binder resin, the combination of these materials being homogenized. The third layer woven cloth has a binder content of less than about 10%, and is adherent to a surface of the second layer, whereby the second layer is sandwiched between the first and third layers. The binder resin typically consists of Phenol Formaldehyde; and the glass fibers in the first layer are typically between 1 and 2 microns in length, and surrounded by binder resin in the wool-like, cured state of the first layer.
The basic method of the invention includes:
i) forming a composite, three layer laminated sheet as defined above,
ii) and drying and curing to composite sheet, at elevated temperature, as for example between 425xc2x0 and 475xc2x0 F.
As will be seen, the facing cloth layer is preferably applied onto the surface of the sprayed-on binder layer just prior to step ii) referred to above, to achieve optimum strength of the cured product.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: